Closure-applying machine



D'ec. 20, 1927.

G. RAMSEY CLOSURE yAPEL'IVINCT MACHINE Filed March l0l 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet l Tulum.:

Dec. 2o, 1'927. 1,653,470

Y' G. RAMS EY CLOSURE APPLYING MACHINE Filed March 1o, 1924 5 sheets-sheet 2 Dec. 2o, 1927.'l

G. RAMSEY cLosURE APPLYING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I Filed March l0. 1924 Dec. 20, l192.7.

G. RAMSEY CLOSURE APPLYING MACHINE Filed March l0. 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet' 4 Dec. 20, 1927. 1,653,470

G. RAMSEY GLOSURE APPLYING MACHINE Filed March 10, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 V4 AT1 @www WE 3 Que nto@ w11 @W01 u e 13W Patented Dec. 20, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,653,470 PATENT oFFlcE.

GEORGE RAMSEY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ANCHOR CAP AND CLOSURE CORPORATION, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CLOSURE-A/PILYING MACHINE.

vApplication led March 10, 1924. Serial No. 698,205.

This invention relates to sealing nfachines for sealing tumblers, jars and the like and more particularly relates to automatic feeding and transfer mechanism whereby the containers are positioned automatically beneath the capping head of the sealing machine. j

The general object of the present invention is the provision of a capping machine charm acterized by a cap-applying mechanism operative in synchronism with transfer mechanism for positioning packages to be sealed beneath the capping mechanism.

A further object of the present inventionl is a mechanism as specified wherein the transfer and feeding mechanism comprises devices for transporting a package from a receiving zone to the` capping zone, and from the clapping zone to the delivery zone, the arrangement of parts being such` that the movements or manipulations to which the packages are subjected prior to the capping operation are reduced to the minimum in number, degree, and speed, commensurate 5 with eflicient operation.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a device as specified which is adapted for ecient operation on diiferent packages representing a maximum variation in sizes. 4

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a commercial machine of the type described which is adapted to be installed in conjunction with any of a variety of forms of endless belt conveyors now commonly employed in packing plants, without the necessity for alteration of the machine or -of' the conveyor. ln this connection it is also an object of the invention to provide such 4@ a machine which is in effect selfcontained, so that it may be set up in association with an endless conveyor when desired, and removed from such association when the conveyor or the handling table is desired for use in other` the other machine.

ways.

Thisinvention' possesses many other and advantageous features, some of which, together with the foregoing, will be set out more at length in the following description 5@ wherein will be outlinedin full thatform of invention which 'l have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the present specification. ln the drawings and' the specification Ihave described only the preferred form of my obvious that occasionally the operator will 'that packages will be inaccurately positioned generic invention, and it is'to be understood that I do not limit myself to such form because my invention may be embodied in a multiplicity of forms, each being a species of my invention, it being understood by the claims succeeding the description of my invention I desire to cover the invention 1n whatsoever form it may be embodied or practiced.

Figure 1 is a front view showing the capping machine and transfer mechanism.

Figure 2 is a side view of the machine with parts broken away, to more-clearly illustrate the mechanism for operating the transfer device.

Figure 3 is a detail view showing the operating mechanism for turning the transfer device.

Figure 4 is a plan View of the transfer wheel.

Figure 5 is a View illustrating more or less diagrammatically the operation of the complete conveyor and transfer devices.

The most common practice in the art of applying seals to tumblers and jars is to manually place the tumbler or jar, with the cap thereon, in the zone of action of the sealing device and after the seal is completed to manually remove the sealed package. It is fail to position the package at the proper time and the sealing machine must either be stopped or run empty; it is also obvious in the sealing zone and that improper seals may be thereby formed. Furthermore, these machines are usually run in connection with a filling machine and for economically operating both machines, it is necessary that the operator at one machine shall possess the same speed and efliciency as the operator at the other machine, otherwise the one machine is held back from operating at its full capacity in order not to overrun or overload The present invention is designed to form a continuously operable mechanical organization adapted to operate behind a filling machine, and having its movements so articulated that it is not dependent upon manual m5 station, in Vsuch fashion as to take the 4packdwell cam 21, and the member 24 is also ages from the belt or conveyor to ay position wherethe capping o'r sealing operation is performed upon them and then replace the sealed packages on the conveyor or belt, so

that` a complete harmony is maintained in the movements by which the package is transported between stations. To accomplish this operation, the transfer mechanism is timed to operate with the capping mechanism and the operation of the entire machine may be synchronized with the conveyor. The type of sea'ling machine which has been selected for illustration is a type which operates merely by pressure to apply a cap similar to that described in the Town- Send patent, No. 1,231,090, although it is obvious that the conveying yand transferring mechanism may be operated with other types of closures and sealing devices.

Referring now to the drawings, and more especially to Figure 5, which is a diagrammatic view-illustrating a complete cycle ofoperations, the containers X 'are v'positioned as at A beneath a suitable filling device 1 at which point the containers are filled and then are' gently slid on to the conveyingv belt 2 which passes around pulleys 4 and 5 in association with a supporting table 8, and over the belt-tightening pulleys 6 and 7. The belt is driven by any suitable motive power such as motor 3 and gearing 3a to travel in the direction of the arrows, thereby conveying the packages from the filling station A through the station B, at which point the caps Y may be placed in position on the containers. The capped containersl continue to move on to the station C where the package is removed from the conveyor belt 2 and the cap is sealed on the package, and then the package is replaced on the conveyor belt 2 and travels on to the station'D which may be a packing table from which the sealed packages Z are packed for shipment.

A more detailed description of the preferred form of the invention wi'll now h e made.- The capping machine comprises a machine frame 9 which may carry a suitable electric motor 10, on the shaft of which is mounted a small pinionv11 which engages a large idler wheel 12 that is carried on an idler shaft v14 and which is mounted in a bearing 15 on the main frame 9. This idler shaft 14 also carries an idler pinion 16 which meshes with 4a main drive Wheel 17 carried by a main drive shaft 18-that is mounted in 4a bearing `19 also formed in the main frame 9. The main shaft carries an actuating member 2G of a Geneva movement and the member 20 comprises adwel'l cam 21 adjacent which is mounted an actuating roll.- ei 22. The driven member 24 of the Geneva movement-is provided with curved cam surfaces 25 adapted ,to engage the circular provided with four open slots 26 each adapted to receive the roller 22.

The driven member 24 of the Geneva movement is mounted on a short shaft 27 that is also mounted in a. bearing 28 on the main frame 9. The Geneva movement is ,so constructed that when vthe main drive shaft 18 makes a complete turn, the short shaft 27 makes a quarter turn and the movement of turning the'short shaft 27 is first a gradually positively accelerated and then a gradually negatively accelerated movement. The reason for this is the fact that the roller 22 engages the outer portion of one of the slots 26 and as the ,roller proceeds on its path it approaches the bottom of the slot thereby comininr nearer tothe axis of rotation of the shaft 27. This roller begins its effective driving movement at a longr leverage, which leverage gradually shortens to the middle of the driving movement and then lengthens again at the end of the driving movement. Since the movement of the shaft 18 isa steady, uniform movement. it therefore will be seen that a. variablel movement is imparted to shaft 27. This vvariable movement is desirable and important as will later be explained. The shaft 27 carries on its inner end a bevelled gear 29.which meshes with a similar bevelled gear 30 mounted on a vertical shaft 31 which rotates in the bearing 32 on the mainframe and carries at its lower end aI pair of collars 34 and 35 which are pinned to the shaft 31. These collars may be recessed to form pockets in which are mounted driving pins 36. A transfer wheel 37 is carried by the .shaft'31 and is mounted between the collars. 34 and. 35 and secured with the driving pins 36 t0 Ithe collars 34 5 and 35 to xedly and securely maintain the transfer wheel 37 in definite. relation to the vertical shaft 31. It is to beobserved that.

pended entirely above'the conveyor belt, so

that the latter may traverse -the axis of the.

wheel without diversion lfrom a straightA path in either horizontal or vertical direction, This arrangement also provides :rdesirable clearance betweenthe-I belt and wheel which, facilitates the cleansing of the parts over which the vessels are moved` as well as desired adjustments or removal of parts. The transfer wheel may be formed `in different mannersl and of different construe'- tio'ns, but preferably it comprises a pair .of sheet metal members 38 and 39 that-are riveted together at the hub andsare separated to form pairs ofl arms 4D and 41. These arms preferably are provided with segment end faces, and pockets 42 are providedhetween the arms. Bolts 44 are set in the corners vof the arms and carry -stirrups 45 which .preferably are made of sheet metalV .connected by means of a musa-raro travel directly beneath the transfer wheelv 37, which movement of the conveyor belt 'transports the packages. directly into ,the

package receiving portions of ythe wheel as is indicated in Figure 4. By regulation of the driving means the speed of the main shaft 18 maybe coordinatedv with the travel of the .conveyor belt 2 so that when a package is posltioned in a stirrun. the Geneva movement operating through connected parts turns the transfer wheel one-quarter turn and positions the package. beneath the sealing mechanism, which will hereinafter be described. In the meantime.y if another package is transported by the belt androntacts withthe ends of the arms 40 and 41. such package will be delayed and then carried into the next receiving stirrup pocket.

ln order to assist in maintaining the packages in the desired paths of transfer, suitable guides 48 may be provided as is indicatedin Figure 4.

From the foregoing. it will be noted packages being transported in a straight lin-e by the conveyor 'belt vare moved from the belt to the capping station under the member 56 by a single continuous movement imparted bv the transfer wheel 37. which. together with the fact'that the Geneva movement produces a gradual start and gradualstop of the package. reduces to a minimum the possibility of slopping or spilling the contents before the package is closed. It will be noted further, thatthe pockets 42 are presented to the approaching packagesdirectly in alignment with their direction of -movement, so that each package is automatically seated in the pocket to itsv full depth. The packages are removedl from the belt in a direction substantially at right angles to its movement. which insures their retention in t-he pocket-s, and their positive movement by lateral pressure of the pockets to accurate position under the capping device, thus dispensing` with the adjustment ofv guides for each particular size of package.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, it will be noted that the main shaft 18 carries on its forward end a lcrank arm 49 which is pitman 50 with an adjustment sleeve 51 which is, adapted to be clamped in predetermined positions on a plunger rod 52 'which-is mounted to reciprocate in a bearing l54 which likewise is f sizes.

' nism comprismg a formed of a part of the main frame 9. The lower end of this plunger rod is recessed to provide'a guide for a stem of a capping head `56. The stem 55 carries a cross pin 57 which is mounted to reciprocate in slots 58 in the lower end of the plunger lrod 52.

The cross pin 57 is firmly maintained in lowermost position by means of a spring 59 which is constructed to yield when the head 56 has completely seated#a cap. The adjustment sleeve 51 .enables thehead 56 to be raised or lowered Iso that its zone of operations may accommodate packages of different heights. While the transfer wheel is so constructed as to effectively handle packages of different heights, it is also obvious that transfer wheels adapted to different sized packages may be easily interchanged on the vertical shaft by driving outthe pins which hold the retaining collars 34 and 35 and substituting one transfer wheel for another. Likewise the stirrups 45 may be easily changed by removing the bolt's44 so that these stirrups may be made to accommodate packages of different sizes and shapes, so that the device is operable leectively upon packages of different heights, shapes and It will be observed that a machine constructed in the manner above described constitutes substantially a self-contained .unit which may be shipped and handled in an entirely assembled condition and may be installed in conjunction'with various forms of belt conveyors. -By virtue o f the fact that all of the operating `parts are carried in a unitary frame and are supported entirel/y above the handling table, the machine may be placed in any desired adjustment relative to the conveyor, and by virtue of its unitary structure and removable mountings, may be placed in position and removed at will, permitting the employmentof the conveyor for a variety of uses.

Hai/inf]r thus described my invention, what I aim is: l'

1. A compact unitary capping mechaframe including supporting members adapted to vstraddle a conveyor elt; cap applying means establishing a capping stationytransfer means suspended between said supporting members,v said transfer means being adapted' to transfer articles from a straddled conveyor beltto the capping station and then return them vto the conveyor belt; and ameans carried by device being adapted. to transfer articles ping station and then return them to the conveyor belt; and a motor mounted on said frame and connected to actuate said capping head and said transfer device.

3. A compact unitary mechanism comprising: aframe including supporting members adapted, to straddle a conveyor belt;

a cap ap lying head 'carried by saidframc.

said hea establishing a capping station and being adjustably mounted to adapt the machine to seal packages of different heights; transfer meanssuspended between said supporting members. said transfer means being adapted to transfer articles from a straddled conveyor belt to the capping station and then return them'to the' conveyor belt; and means carried by said frame to actuate said cap applying head and said transfer means.

4. A compact unitary capping mechanism comprising s a frame including a base, supportln members on said base adapted to stradd e a conveyor belt on said base; cap applying means carried by said rame,'said cap applying means establishing a capping station; a vertical shaft mounted in said frame; a rotary transfer'device aliixed to the lower end of said shaft, said-transfer device being adapted to transfer articles from a straddled conveyor belt tothe capping station and then return them to the conveyor belt; and means carried by said frame to actuate said cap applyingmeans and said transfer device.

GEORGE RAMSEY. 

